Chinese Way

Out of question, Flowers of War is the biggest winner in China film market this December. It is directed by Yimou ZHANG who also orchestrated the opening and closing ceremonies of 2008 Beijing Olympics.  It is based on the novel The 13 Women of Nanjing by Geling Yan. The film is set in 1937 in Nanjing, China during the Nanjing Massacre, at the time of the Second Sino-Japanese War. Characters include twelve prostitutes, twelve girl students of the church, an embalmer who acted like a priest, a Chinese soldier and refugees.   A group of escapees, finding sanctuary in a Church compound, risk their lives as they struggle to survive the plight and persecution brought on by the violent invasion of the city.
During the time of brutal looting, killing and rape by the invaders, these escapees in the church protected and comforted each other. When the 12 girl students were forced to chorus at the party of Japanese troops, the 12 prostitutes took the risk for the girls. They made up like students and went to the party for the girls; even they knew exactly what would happen to them in the party. They left their hope to these girls, the hope to be alive, to be decent and be happy which they lost after being prostitutes.

No artificial sensationalism, the film reached the very soft part at the bottom of the audiences’ heart.  It has been selected as the Chinese entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 84th Academy Awards. Also, it is nominated for the 69th Golden Globe Awards. Hope this excellent movie will bring more audience to the cinema and let the history known to as many people as possible.

China Spring Festival can be traced back to Shang Dynasty (1600BC – 1100BC). During the past thousands of years, many customs have been formed. Some of the folk customs:

Laba Porridge: Most families cook this porridge on the 8th day of the 12th lunar month. The porridge made with glutinous rice, millet, seeds of job’s tears, jujube berries, lotus seeds, beans, longan and gingko.
Preliminary Eve: 23rd day of the 12th lunar month. People worshipped kitchen god in old days. Now they mostly cook more delicious food on that day.  After preliminary eve, people start to prepare for the coming new year. This is the biggest shopping time for ordinary families.

Eve of Chinese New Year: 31st of the 12th lunar month. All the members of families come back home and enjoy the united time. New Year’s Eve Dinner can be said the most formal dinner in a year. They spend the last day of the year and stay up till the new year comes.  That night a special TV program named Spring Festival Get-together is broadcast on China Central Television Station (CCTV). This program has billions of audiences every year exactly at that night. Almost every family decorates their door panels with Spring Festival couplets, highlighting Chinese calligraphy with black characters on red paper. The contents of the couplets express the house owners’good wishes for the coming year, such as auspiciousness, abundance and wealth. Two big red lanterns are often hung on both sides of the front door. And red paper-cutting are also popular to paste on windows.

New Year Day: Waking up on New Year, people dress up new clothes. They will firstly greet their parents and the seniors in the family. Children will get some cash wrapped in red paper called Yasui Money. Jiaozi (Chinese dumplings) will be the breakfast. Some cities of south China have Niangao(cake made of glutinous rice) as breakfast. The first five days of the New Year is a good chance for family members, friends, relatives, colleagues as well as classmates to exchange greetings and gifts.

End of the Spring Festival: the 15th day of the 1st lunar month. That day is also called Lanterns’ Day. As it literally means, this is a day about lanterns. People decorate their house with red lanterns. Many lantern fairs are held across the countries. Various kinds of lanterns are exhibited to the public.
Recommend: 5-Day China Spring Festival Experience

Source: ShanghaiFocus.com

Here is a two-day tour recommendation of ancient capital city Xian.
Day 01: Morning flight/train arrive in Xian. First visit to Big Wild Goose Pagoda, a well-preserved ancient building and a holy place for Buddhists, rated as a National Key Cultural Relic Preserve as well as an AAAA Tourist Attraction. Then proceed to Shaanxi History Museum,  a state-class museum with priceless collection of historic relics.Stroll along Xian City Wall, the most complete city wall now in China, as well being one of the largest ancient military defensive systems in the world, built first in the early Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Today you’ll also have the chance to visit Great Mosque, one of the oldest, largest and best-preserved Islamic mosques in China and the only mosque in Xian that is open to visitors.  This evening you are suggested to watch Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show, a wonderful performance of the ancient music and dance, is a must when you visit Xian-which was the imperial capital during 13 dynastic periods.

Day 02: This morning, continue your Xian exploration. Today you will be escorted to visit Terracotta Warriors, the most highlighted part of Xian tours to every visitor. It is the most significant archeological excavations of the 20th century, the world eighth wonder and there are altogether 7,000 life-size pottery soldiers, horses, chariots and weapon guarding the tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huang in silence during the 2000 years history.
  You’ve got plenty time today to admire the world’s eighth wonder.
Today you also have the chance to visit Banpo Museum, another important part of Xian’s ancient history. It is China’s first museum of prehistoric sites, which give us a vivid show of a typical neolithic Yangshao Culture and matriarchal historical sites 6,000 years ago in Yellow River basin.
Farewell to Xian after the day activities.

Yesterday, many cities in China had their first snow of 2011. And some people might think now its a bad time to make a tour. But not exactly.  You’ve still got plenty choice here.  Guilin is one of the destinations.  Due to its geographic location, the winter there is less harsh.  And here is a class 4-day tour itinerary of Guilin.
Day 01: Arrive in Guilin
Day 02: Guilin→Longsheng→Sanjiang
Transfer to Longsheng after breakfast. Zhuang and Yao ethnic minorities live in Longsheng area. They make a living on agriculture. Longsheng Terrace Field is a great invention created by them. Also you will have the chance to visit the Village of Zhuang and Yao Ethnic Groups. Tansfer to Sanjiang in late afternoon. Check in the hotel and have a good rest.

Day 03: Sanjiang –>Guilin
Visit the Wind & Rain Bridge, architecturally called tower bridge or flower bridge. Such bridges were built with purely wooden materials without nails. They highlight the skill and architectural brilliance of the Dong people. The bridge is 75 meters long and took the villagers 12 years to complete. Later head to Yinshui Dong Villiage, named after the waterfall that runs down from the mountaintop resembling a long silver chain from afar. It is said that the village was founded during the Tang-Song dynasties and gained its fame due to the hard work of the later generations of the Dong people. Back to Guilin in late afternoon.

Day04: Guilin–>Yangshuo
Morning enjoy the cruise down the Li River to Yangshuo. Gorgeous Karst peaks give you surprises at each bend of the limpid river under the blue sky. Water buffalo patrol the fields, peasants reap rice paddies, school kids and fisherman float by on bamboo rafts. With its breathtaking scenery and taste of a life far removed from the concrete metropolis, this cruise will must be memorable. Lunch will be served on board.
Overnight stay in Yangshuo.

Day 05: Yangshuo–>Guilin
Transfer back to Guilin after breakfast. Upon arrival, explore Reed Flute Cave, which is praised as “the art hall created by nature”. Then pay a visit to the symbol of Guilin city -  Elephant Trunk Hill if time permits.

Day 06: Depart from Guilin
Farewell to Guilin and board your homebound train or flight.

Check more China tours and ShanghaiFocus.com.